


Just Let Me Adore You

by SaturnGhost



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Dream and George are end goal, Everyone Is Gay, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Mutual Pining, Nerd George, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Pining, Private School, SBI are all siblings except Philza, Slow Burn, Unrequited Crush, jock dream, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-15 10:21:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28561971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaturnGhost/pseuds/SaturnGhost
Summary: "...he knows that in one of their past lives, George and Dream went by another name yet loved each other the same."// Being one of the top athletes in a private academia is already a burden for Dream, but the inner fight he has if he likes his nerdy best friend, George, is driving him insane.All he wants is George, but how much pain does he have to go through to figure that shit out? Or to even tell George...Fuck.
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity/GeorgeNotFound, Clay | Dream/Floris | Fundy, Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson
Comments: 42
Kudos: 133





	1. Cloudy Love

He likes to imagine himself floating in a blankless space full of warmth from the sun and the soft texture of clouds. The gentle gradient of light blue to white in the sky surrounds his body, and the only thing keeping him from falling is the sheer want of not returning to Earth with the same problems he left with. 

Life is grand, the idea of yellow dandelions in a field where he can create his own path in the world is gorgeous, but it’s hard to focus on the beauty of green fields and how pink lilacs are when there is so much shit polluting the idea of life. The pollution that muddies clear waters and pulls a foggy curtain over clear stars and clearer skies, that type of pollution that pushes him into a make believe world- a Dream almost. 

“Dream.”

He wishes he could hold onto the vague light in his mind as if it was a tree branch and he was desperately trying to hang on to it. 

“Dream.”

He knows if he lets go, he has to face his problems again but ignorance is bliss and he dances with her every night. 

“Dream!”

He does every dance in the history of dances to avoid the sinking feeling he has in his gut, but he’s getting tired of dancing so now he wishes he could disappear in the clouds. 

“Dream!” A hand pulls him out his deep depths of fantasy and back into a low contrast reality with gray skies and grayer grass. He can’t imagine a world without color and yet he opens his eyes and sees the world how George sees it. 

Dim. 

“Why are you sleeping under a tree when our dorms are right there?” Dream finally looks up and sees Technoblade, his elder only by a year, looking down at him and comically pointing at their dorms less than 10 minutes down from the hill they stood on. “Are you homeless or something? I mean I’ve never seen you travel to our dorm and y’know I’m not shaming you but-“

“What?!” Dream lets out a shriek mixed with shock and laughter. “No! Techno-“

Techno continues on about Dream’s sleeping area- more so his lack of a sleeping area- before Dream finally cuts him off 

“I just needed alone time,” Dream sighs, wiggling back into the position he was in before Technoblade pulled him out. A comfortable silence falls between the two, the light breathing and lighter wind flowing through them.

Autumn is an easy 2 weeks away and Dream’s enjoying the last bit of the transition between Summer and Fall all he can. The cool weather will soon leave, and Winter will replace it, he has an ongoing hatred towards cold weather.

The breeze easily passes by them, only to brush against their clothes, to create noise among the leaves, and to levítate Technoblade’s long hair into the air.

In this light, Technoblade looks like a God. 

More of a bloodthirsty god than a kind and generous God but the thought still counts. 

“Well,” Technoblade started on again, “School starts in a few hours so I suggest you go to your dorm and change but I’m no dictator so I simply am _advising_ you.” 

Dream stretches his limbs and finally gets up with a final yawn. “Thank you Techno.” 

His friend looks him up and down once more and nods slightly, “Just don’t tell anyone I helped you out. We’re supposed to be rivals or whatever.” With that, Techno waved him off. 

Dream let out a small chuckle and headed back to his shared dorm. 

From his point of view, Dream considers Technoblade a good friend. Not only are they the top athletes in their school but as well in their nation. With Dream’s skill and luck constantly on his side and Technoblade’s ability to adapt and conquer any obstacle, the two constantly come out on top in most-if not all- athletic competitions. Because of this, the students in their school see their relationship as either or:

An intense hatred that started the rivalry or they were secretly best friends. The school likes to paint their friendship as a friendly rivalry but in reality the two are just friends. They have too many mutual friends and spend too much time on the field to consider themselves acquaintances but don’t spend enough time together outside of school, besides talking about sports, to be considered close friends so they are Just Friends. 

Sapnap, one of Dream’s best friends, likes to make comments about Dream and Techno being “secret lovers that are forced to act as enemies because of the school’s pressure on them.” 

Something stupid like that.

Dream always laughs it off. 

The thought of Dream and Technoblade as a couple made Dream cringe. Technoblade is so… so _not_ compatible with Dream- relationship wise. Although they compare in lots of ways…the fact that- no. That’s too gross. He’s stoic and still, he’s quiet and sometimes Dream couldn’t help but find him boring. Although Technoblade could act “wild” his “wild side” was not the same as Dream’s more chaotic side, a side George knew perfectly. 

George, one of his best friends, has and still is able to maneuver Dream and his personality. They’ve been friends since the beginning of 6th grade and haven’t let go of each other since. 

George would spend his free time in the computer lab playing online games, his lunches would be spent with Ponk, who now has a different lunch period than him, and he would stay quiet in the corner of the room. 

Dream remembers when he only knew _of_ George, the kid who gave the football team the homework answers for free. He remembers stumbling into the computer lab after school, football practice had been cancelled because of the rain and he wasn’t ready to go back to his dorm, he found George playing Minecraft. 

After a quick introduction, they played 2 player games for the rest of the afternoon. 

Dream quickly fell for George- platonically of course. He would invite him everywhere, talk to him everyday after school, and he would scramble for a topic during their conversations whenever he did have them. When George began the conversations, invited him to play Minecraft together, and try to do homework with Dream, Dream’s stomach would do all sorts of flips. 

He figured it was because he, himself, made a friend… that’s all. Nothing more and nothing less. 

If there _was_ something more at the time, Dream couldn’t be dumb enough to miss it… right? 

If, only _if_ , Dream _did_ miss the signs, missed the moments when all Dream could think about was George, missed the days when after meeting George his sexuality was constantly being questioned which is affecting him till the day, missed all those times when his face would suddenly flare up when George complimented his skills in game or on the field, those signs of like George more than platonically, then- only then- could Dream call himself the biggest idiot in the world. 

“Dream!” A voice rang out from behind him. He successfully finished his morning routine and was walking across the triangular courtyard full of all sorts of flowers he loved to adore every morning when the sun was still slowly melting the night sky away, when George’s voice called his name. 

Dream turns around with a smile on his face.

“I haven’t seen you all morning, where have you been?” George walked closer to Dream. 

“Was sleeping in, not many times we can sleep in y’know,” Dream responded. When they can, Dream’s usuals mornings are shared with George and Sapnap. Dream treasures these moments when he can act as if he doesn’t have an internal conflict constantly brewing inside him. The bittersweet breakfasts are even more rare when Dream has to wake up at the ass crack of dawn for a new athletic competition or when Techno drags his ass out of bed so they can workout together, but the exercise tends to end up with Dream being bathed in sweat and Techno yawning as if they didn’t just take turns in holding up the Moon. 

“It’s lonely without you there,” George remarks, walking forward to where Dream was _going_ to go before George called his name out. George tends to catch Dream in the middle of all his actions just to repeat Dream’s action. Now that Dream was thinking about it, George always- 

Wait. 

Did George just say what Dream _thinks_ he said?

“What?” 

“Sapnap made new friends and invited them to the lunch table and he’s constantly talking to them. They came this morning and I’m pretty sure they’ll come at lunch today too,” George explained furthermore. “You’re always busy, it’s lame.” 

He was right. Dream has a billion different athletes meet every other week and practices are scattered in between them. The only time he catches a break is during winter because he sucks at basketball.

George on the other hand has chess every tuesday after school and finishes homework before 4 pm. Sure he studies, but the only reason for that is because Dream is never not busy. 

“It’s cute to see you miss me so much,” Dream joked, throwing his arm around his best bud, reaching to pinch his cheek but George smacked it away. 

“Ew it’s not that,” George stuck his tongue out. “I just have no one to talk to.”

“So what I’m hearing is you love me so much more than anyone else?”

“You’re such an idiot,” George finally let out a chuckle. 

“You’re not denying it.”

George finally looked at Dream, their noses almost touching. 

Fuck. 

Dream looked down to meet George’s eyes, a warm brown filled his irises, the type of brown in every vampire and in every bite of melted chocolate. His lips are in a constant shade of the same pink color since sixth grade. Pink like strawberries, like the sun dipping into the horizon, like cotton candy. George’s porcelain doll complexion hadn’t changed much besides giving him a sharper jawline and a more angular body. 

Dream looked at George. 

Fuck. 

“You’re an idiot,” George laughed and turned back around to wave at someone. 

Fuck. 

Dream wishes he was back under that tree thinking of the fake clouds and unrealistic blank air he wishes he could swim in to get away from this terrible inner turmoil he had about his best fucking friend. 

Fuck. 

Although everyone in his class denies it, Dream knows the teacher holds some sort of grudge against him. It started out by constantly correcting _anything_ Dream said, then belittling sports (which is a HUGE indirect attack on Dream, one the best sportsman in this school), and has ended up with George sitting across the room from him. Dream wants to spit in the teachers face, grab George by the wrist and force George to sit on his lap or something. 

Instead, he’s sitting alone in the corner of the room.

Fuck history class. 

Dream looked over at where Technoblade sat, right next to his brother, Wilbur, who was going on and on about some blue sheep or something. 

And was the teacher pointing it out at _all_? No! But when Dream had jokingly grab George’s hand, the stupid fucking professor split them completely. 

He must be some homophobic piece of shit. 

Dream tapped his pen on his desk. He looked over at Sapnap. 

He met Sapnap _way_ before he met George, in kindergarten after Sapnap said Dream’s freckles are like the sand in their sandboxes. According to their moms, Dream almost suffocated in sand thinking he could put his freckles back but then they became good friends. Dream’s freckles also began to disappear after 2nd grade, hence why he has no recollection of the memory. Perhaps he did manage to put some freckles back into the sand. 

As Sapnap wrote down what Mr.Fuckface was writing (that’s not his real name but Dream didn’t bother to learn it), a kid next to him doodled all over his left hand. He figured the kid was Karl, the guy George mentioned during their walk to class. 

_“He’s nice. Excited but not Tommy type excited. He’s calm, but his body isn’t if that makes any sense,”_ George had said. _“I have a feeling Sapnap and him are like You and me.”_

_“Oh yeah? How’s that?”_

_“Sapnap looks at him like you look at me.”_

Dream watched as Sapnap looked at Karl’s doodles and then at Karl.

The way Sapnap looked at Karl made Dream wish he was among those imaginary clouds again. 

“Dream this is Karl and Quackity, Quackity and Karl this is Dream.”

“Jeezus Christ you’re a lot bigger up close than on the field, man,” Quackity said, causing Karl to laugh. 

“Thank you?” 

“No Sweat! George do you remember about that thing I told you about yesterday?”

“What thing? The chemistry thing?”

And with that Dream tuned himself out the conversation. The only reason he had really bothered to come to lunch was to make George comfortable, but it seemed that George was good friends with Quackity and Karl already. He watched as George laughed at most things Quackity said, and whenever Sapnap would say something Karl immediately laughed like his life depended on it. 

It was certainly a view to see. 

Dream rested his head on his hand, only imputing anything whenever he’s asked directly. 

It’s not that he doesn’t like Quackity and Karl, it’s that George asked him to be here and is now acting as if he isn’t here. But whatever, it doesn’t matter that much since George is having a good time. 

Dream thought about what Quackity had said just a moment ago. 

Now that he thinks about it, he has gained a lot of muscle since he first started working out. Maybe Technoblade waking him up before life itself woke up every goddamn day of summer break to do a zillion push-ups and a zillion more pull-ups worked out in the end. 

If Dream looks further into, he realizes just _how much_ _bigger_ he is compared to George. 

Whilst Sapnap isn’t as built as Dream, he does play football with Dream and some of their other buddies on their off time and jogs every once in a while with Dream, as well as working out on his own, but George…

George spends his time studying at a desk and fucking up his posture to play computer games. George can throw a football, not that far but he’s not shit at throwing, but if he gets tackled he’ll break in two. He isn’t as thin as sticks but he is slender. His joints aren’t sharp, they’re smooth and have a rounded edge. 

His body was made to be every artist’s model so they can paint him on every little inch of the sistine chapel. Every edge on his body was sculpted to be carefully framed by the most detailed lace and every curve was molded to have the softest lace embrace him. 

George may be thin, the perfect amount of light so Dream can pick him up bridal style, but the amount of fucking power George holds over Dream that he doesn’t even _know_ he holds is incredible. 

“Dream looks like he wants to fuck George,” Quackity’s voice suddenly interrupted Dream’s line of thoughts. 

A beat of silence. 

“Whaaaat?!” Dream said with a large smile on his face and shock in his eyes. Sapnap and Karl burst into a laughing fit as George playfull rolled his eyes and laughed slightly. 

“I said you look like you want to be the reason his v card has been removed,” Quackity repeated more thoroughly this time. 

“What makes you think I still have my V-Card?” George grinned. 

“George!” Dream playfully semi-yelled. 

“George, I thought you were saving your virginity for Dream?” Sapnap added in causing an even louder laughter from Quackity and Karl. 

“You guys are idiots,” Dream rolled his eyes, pushing George slightly. 


	2. Sleepy Autumn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "'Oh, Tommy has been asking for you for some reason? Y’know how Tommy is-”  
>  “Yeah, I definitely know,” Dream laughed slightly."

“Alright, everyone take 10!” Coach Philza waved and with that the lacrosse team collapsed tiredly on the ground. 

Dream rested his hands on his lower back, tilting his head up to breathe the fresh air. The sky hung the sun with a small light, the large clouds covering most of the usual blue sky. Birds flew across the fall sky, leaving home for the winter. 

Dream took in the best temperature of the four seasons for the last time, soon the winter would come and he’d be stuck inside either studying or lifting weights. Not a huge change in his schedule besides the fact that he had to wear the bulky winter clothes that his school provided. The clothes made his physique look so bad but the snowy air caused George's face to redden easily which is always plus. Always a good day when George’s cheeks are rosy red and his nose is in a constant sniffle. 

Dream watched as Technoblade went over to Philza, the school’s resident english teacher and coach. Philza taught his english class in the morning, his _favorite_ class because most of his friends were there _and_ Philza’s just a good teacher. His ability to relate to the students and joke around with them, while also somehow making Shakespear entertaining, deserves an award itself. Not only is Philza an amazing english teacher, but on the field his strategies always play out well, and his criticism is well received. 

He’s the school’s father figure and any one that doesn’t like him is the school’s outcast. 

Dream’s sure Philza noticed how much he lacked behind Techno. On a normal day, Dream wouldn’t miss out trying to beat Technoblade in lacrosse, he especially wouldn't miss out on a chance when he knew the lacrosse team wouldn’t be playing from november to january because of the cold weather, but Dream admits his head isn’t fully screwed on right. 

The want of disappearing among the clouds, Sapnap and George’s new friends, and the back and forth his consciousness has been going through only diminished any want to beat Technoblade at lacrosse. 

If Philza did notice Dream missing more throws than usual, he didn’t comment on it. Instead he gave them a 10 minute break instead of a usual 5 minute break. 

“You’re like some sort of God,” His friend, Sam, said in between breaths. Sam and Dream have been friends for a while, meeting on the lacrosse team and also hanging out outside of the team brought them closer together. To Sam’s credit, he was incredibly great at all things defense, but when it came to handling a position in offense, he fumbled the ball a bit. Sam’s great at supporting his teammates on and off the field, but he does need to get better at the whole cardio part of lacrosse. 

“I’m no God,” Dream chuckled. “I missed so many easy shots.” He knew he couldn’t do this again. With Lacrosse ending for the winter, and Dream being shit before the end, it just wouldn’t look good to an outsider. It would seem as if he’s quitting, getting tired of Lacrosse, or just falling behind extremely. 

“You’re still great though,” Sam rested his hand on Dream’s shoulder. That’s another thing Sam is great at, pulling him out of this headspace where Dream starts overanalyzing everything he does to the point of self sabotage. Although George has handled Dream way before Sam, and therefore knows more about Dream than Dream knows about himself, Sam does just as well as George. “Oh, Tommy has been asking for you for some reason? Y’know how Tommy is-”

“Yeah, I definitely know,” Dream laughed slightly. Tommy’s a great kid with his last name all over school because of his 4 siblings coming to the academy before him, so when he entered he was already bathing in fame. “I’ll get around to him sooner or later. Hey, how’s your engineering project going?” 

“Awful, my partner, Quackity sucks at math. It’s incredible how he spends all his time inside but refuses to learn basic algebra,” Sam informed him. There’s the kid again, Quackity. “I mean, he’s a good kid. Funny and all. But I can’t catch a break with him.” Sam finished with a smile. It’s obvious to anyone that Sam has no negative feelings towards Quackity.

Dream started to stretch, “Tell me more about Quackity. I keep hearing about him.”

Sam took a sip of water from his bottle and continued, “He’s transferring to chemistry, keeps talking about wanting to be a potion maker to impress someone. Oh, and he’s the biggest klutz in the world. I have no clue how he’s gonna be a potion maker if he drops everything he touches.”

“George is in chemistry,” Dream remarks.

“Oh right. Maybe they’ll be in the same class,” Sam smiled. 

Dream stretched towards the clouds, “Perhaps.

  
  


Tommy and his siblings are all enrolled in the same school which makes them popular by default. Every friend each sibling has is shared and there’s a total of 5 of them? Dream knows most about the family from what Wilbur, Tommy’s older brother, tells him.

It’s a little messy but Dream will recall it from his best memory.

Technoblade is the eldest brother by two and a half minutes. Technoblade doesn’t act like he has siblings so when Dream found out he was a _twin_ not only was he surprised, but he dramatically acted as if he was betrayed.

Needless to say Technoblade just walked away from the scene.

Wilbur is Technoblade’s twin, fraternal twin. They look nothing alike. Wilbur looks like any average student in a private academy, brown hair covering his face with a beanie over it, and his tall yet lank body being covered in a sweater, is nothing like Techno’s long pink hair, a built body, small glasses he wears during class, and a scar on his left eyebrow. The only similarity Dream can _see_ between them is their receding hairlines that both brothers cover with bangs. 

Tommy is the unofficial official middle child. He _looks_ more like Wilbur’s twin than Techno does. Although Tommy is a blond and Wilbur a brunette, they hang out in between all their classes, and their laughs can be heard from across campus. Tommy is shorter than Wilbur but for a 9th grader, he’s stupidly tall.

Lastly, there’s Tubbo. Tubbo is adopted which is a surprise. Tubbo is one year older than Tommy, but you couldn’t tell by the looks of it. He’s shorter than Tommy, quieter unless spoken to, and acts like a calmer version of Tommy. 

One more family member is Fundy, their cousin, who’s Tubbo’s age. 

Fundy has worn his fox ears to school before.

Dream hopes that sums up how Fundy is. 

As Dream made his way along the dorms’ hallways, looking for the Sleepy Boy Inc rooms, his mind kept drifting to George.

George was making new friends, he’s done it before but Dream can't understand why this time it bothers him so much. Why out of all people, Quackity becoming closer to George, rubs Dream the wrong way. 

Dream knows if he dug deeper, dusted away all the times he ignored the impending doom, he could find the buried chest full of his secrets. He could find the reason why George laughed at everything Quackity said, Quackity switching classes to be with George, and George leaning forward everytime Quackity spoke across the lunch table created a mixture of anger, sadness, and bitterness in Dream’s heart. 

But he won’t go there.

If he goes there, he knows that there’s no turning back. 

A point past returning. 

Tommy’s door faced him now. Two knocks on the door. A sound of footsteps approaching. 

“DREAM!” Tommy’s wide smile bellowed through the halls. “Big man! Come in, come in! Make yourself at home!” 

Tommy and Wilbur’s room was a mess of aesthetics. On one side of the room was a record player and crates full of vinyl disks. On the wall there’s posters from all kinds of musicians around the globe (mostly british musicians though), and a few drawings up there too. The bed was made messily, and beside it was an electrical guitar with a small amp next to it. A ukulele hung from above the desk. 

Dream guessed that that side is Wilbur’s side. 

On the opposite side of the room there was a large map of a DnD Poster hung on the wall. Books and papers shoved in shelves, and a few mini video game collectibles on the shelf. Without a doubt, this side is Tommy’s side. 

Tubbo and Fundy sat on Tommy’s bed. 

“Dream! Y'know Tubbo and Fundy right? ‘Course you do!” Tommy started talking fast but slow enough that Dream could barely understand. “Welp, I called you here today because I need a favor. You owe me a favour? You remember right?” 

“Yep.” Of course Dream remembers the favor. 2 weeks ago Dream was messing around with George, pulling a series of harmless pranks, and asked Tommy to deliver a message to George. 

He asked Tommy to give George an envelope of Tommy “confessing” his feelings, without Tommy reading it. To cut the story short, George awkwardly rejected Tommy while Tommy had no clue what was going on. Dream and everyone else laughed their asses off. 

_“I hate you so much,”_ George had said later on, after Dream promised he would return a favour to Tommy. 

_“What? You not into Tommy?” Dream laughed. “Is it ‘cause he’s Tommy or ‘cause you’re secretly homophobic?”_

_“Dream! That’s not funny!” George scolded him. “If anyone actually tells me their true feelings, I’d have no clue how to react.”_

_“You wouldn’t give them a chance?”_

Dream remembers George pausing to think about it.

_“If they were my friend, no. I already know how I feel about my friends.”_

_“So if I asked you on a date, you’d say no?_

_“Dream,” George rolled his eyes with a smile._

_“C’mon, I’m being serious!” To George, Dream was joking. His face was in a large smirk, letting out a laugh or two in between a few seconds._

_“I’d say no.”_

“I’m turning in my favour,” Tommy said. “Go on a date, with Fundy. A _real_ date. No pranks, no jokes. You owe-”

“Tommy!” Fundy got up from the bed. “You can’t just _force_ someone to go on a date with me!” His cheeks and the tip of his ears were turning a slight shade of red. 

“I can! And I am,” Tommy turned back to Dream with a smile. “So whaddya say big man? Not much of a choice you got.”

Dream looked at Fundy. Fundy isn’t much smaller, but because of his skittish and nervous behavior he made himself seem a lot smaller than he actually is. Fundy’s face was dusted in a pink color, not as red as George’s face when he’s cold but also not pink like when George gets embarrassed. It’s a mixture. 

“Ok. One date,” Dream agreed, watching as Fundy immediately looked up at him with a look of suprise and shyness. 

Dream found beauty in the way that Fundy’s ginger hair falls around his eyes to create a delicate frame, only to illuminate the deep brown of his round fox-like eyes. 

“Call me when you can Fundy,” Dream ruffled his hair and made his way out the room. 

One date doesn’t hurt anyone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Accidentally didn't put multiple chapters oop  
> When I'm writing I think I write too much but when I look at it on ao3 i realize i haven't written shit LOLOL  
> Thank your for all the comments byw, they mean a lot <<33 if there's any ideas/criticism comment them xoxo  
> Have a good day yall <3  
> Tumble: saturnghostmother


	3. Homemade Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> L'manberg Private Boarding Academy for Young Men is known for their highly skilled students, expensive tastes, and holiday festivities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long to come out *m*  
> This chapter mostly has world building in the begining but I swear it gets to Dream and Gogy :0

Leaves stuttered on their way to the dying grass, caressing the branches for the last time this year. A colorful display of warm hues covered the campus of _L'manberg Private Boarding Academy for Young Men_. With every step on the green pastures, a crunch of the leaf alerted nearby people of a moving subject. The wind blew west, not yet teeth chattering but instead made for sweaters and long sleeves. Students at the Academy changed the Summer/Spring uniforms into uniforms that would keep them warm and secure in these next two months. The uniforms offered little to no change but included cardigans with long sleeves, plain white long sleeve button ups, sweaters in each of the school's colors, pants instead of shorts, gym uniforms changed as well, and a few more options with the school's emblem on each fashion choice. 

Most boys wore the choices for the colder seasons during spring and summer as well, George wore shorts and the sweaters during the Spring. Dream usually wore the correct uniform according to the season, and Sapnap put on whatever was clean. 

Another key trait of fall, besides changing the style of the clothes worn, was the buzzing for the upcoming holidays. L'Manberg Private Academy was known for its ability to throw jaw dropping festivities, most notably, The Spring Festival. Although the Winter Ball was held every Winter solstice, for the past few years it had been getting less and less funds because the money was given to the Spring Festival. A considerably grand amount of money was still given to the Winter Ball. 

To the sad dismay of the students, Halloween wasn't given much of a celebration besides a lollipop and allowing the teenagers to wear their school appropriate costumes to class. Because of this, groups of students would throw Halloween themed "parties"- Dream considered them more like get-togethers than parties- and this year Tommyinnit decided to be the host of one. 

From the little that he knows, only their good friends would get invited, hence why Dream was invited. 

" _Nice door_ ," Techno had said a week into October, complimenting Dream on his door decoration skills. Every year, Dream and George would put halloween related decorations on the door in the knick of time, and the tradition will still live on even without George or the procrastination part. " _Very second grade teacher vibes_."

" _Thanks?_ " 

Techno nodded, " _Yeah. You and your friends are invited to Tommy's little party on Halloween right after 8th period. You need to dress up_." 

" _Oh awesome. Tell him I said thank you_ ," Dream smiled. Techno nodded and went back into their shared dormitory. 

It had been 2 weeks since then and his friends and him finally decided to be hogwarts characters. 

"Quackity would be superior if he was with us," George said, fixing his blue tie for the hundredth time. Quackity had promised another group of friends that he would match costumes with them instead of the 'Pop Off Crew', like Karl had nicely named them. 

"It would be _superior_ if you could fix your tie for the last and final time," Sapnap commented, his red gryffindor tie already set neatly. They haven't left Sapnap and George's shared dorm room because George's dad apparently never taught him how to tie a tie. 

"Nimrod can't fix his own nimrody tie," Karl added, he was the hufflepuff of the group. 

Dream lifts himself from George's bed and walks over to George, taking in the soft and textured blue striped tie into his hands. He crossed one side with the other, and as if he was a wizard, finally finished putting together the damn neck decoration. 

"I could've done that," George turned back to the mirror to adjust Dream's artistry.

"But you didn't."

"I was doing it but Sapnap and Karl's obnoxious simping over each other was distracting me." 

"You're just jealous that you and Quackity don't have our type of relationship," Sapnap bit back. 

What?

"That was actually such a bad joke, trash joke," George spoke over Dream to glare at Sapnap, a smile still formed over his face. 

Quackity and George? 

George doesn't like Quackity.

Sapnap is teasing. 

He's wrong. 

He's an idiot. 

And if he isn't joking, Dream doesn't care.

_He doesn't._

George wouldn't date a friend and Dream doesn't see George that way… that's what he tells himself at least. 

"Dream is so angry right now. Omg he's actually red!" Karl laughed wildly. 

"Karl, your face is literally the color of bloody roses because you get excited by Sapnap," Dream teased back, trying to get rid of the nervousness in his stomach after hearing what Sapnap had joked about. George bursted out laughing and began a series of going back and forth with Sapnap as Dream said, "C'mon we're gonna be late."

There's three buildings for dormitories on the East Side of the Campus for students in grade 9-12 and on the West side of the Campus there's another three buildings for grades 5-8. Each building is sorted into letters, it's easier for the students, and official names, for the school to show off just how truly _prestigious_ they are. 

There's been only three ways to be admitted into L'Manberg; family ties, money, or a scholarship. Because of the way that admitions worked, by the time students get to 9th grade, either their parents pulled them out of the school or they couldn't continue the hard work of maintaining a scholarship which only meant that the dormitory buildings weren't obnoxiously large and ugly.

Buildings A-C, for grades 9-10, were named after the founders of the academy. The students were sorted into each building at the end of eighth grade by an array of skills they showed for the first 3 and a half years at the academy. 

Dream was lucky enough to be able to room with George, his close friend since 6th grade, that brought them closer together.

Dream remembers the first night they spent in the same room, George couldn't sleep because of the jetlag and Dream couldn't sleep out of nerves. They talked all night about school and summer break, and even stuck cheap glow in the dark stars on the cieling.

Tommy was sharing dorms with Wilbur just for this semester and so the party was being held in room 24 on the second floor in Building A, more commonly known as Building Jeb. 

As Dream, Sapnap, George and Karl arrived from the first floor to the second floor, they immediately all saw their friends hanging outside Tommy's room, a dorm room can only hold so many people. The hallway smelt of burnt pancakes and the music that played was in a low tone as to not disturb their dormroom neighbors. Besides the faces that Dream recognized, there were other people hanging outside dorms in a messy manner. The amount of people in Floor 2 made Dream suspect everyone chose floor 2 to hold the building's occupants. 

"Gogy!" Wilbur waved from the group he was supposed to be talking to. He and the people near him wore their clothes backwards, Dream guessed that was their costume. "Look at how stylish we are, Gogy." 

Fundy and Quackity both turned around at the same time and stroke a pose causing George to laugh while Sapnap and Karl made their way to Quackity to begin making fun of his costume. 

"Y'know how fantastic our idea is? It's incredible," Wilbur said dramatically to George. "Tommy didn't join because he's a tiny whiny child."

Dream lingered from the group. The low cost of costumes displayed the personality of each person even if it was just clothes and accessories on backwards. 

Quackity's usual beanie had holes for his eyes and Fundy's fox ears were even on backwards. 

Cute.

"The fox ears were forced," Fundy told Dream, as if he knew what Dream was thinking. "I lost a bet to Tommy." 

Dream chuckled, "Tommy is great at always getting what he wants." 

Fundy laughed, his fox like features were highlighted by the fox ears, or maybe Dream was going insane. There was a slight brown under Fundy's eyes, and a black line, like a wing, further emphasized his brown amber eyes. 

For a moment, Fundy and Dream's eyes met, brown eyes, not like George's brown eyes, quickly averted the contact for any longer. 

A soft pink dusted Fundy's cheeks. 

"Do you have makeup on?" 

Fundy wore a look of surprise, most likely at Dream's blunt question, "Just eyeliner."

"It looks good," Dream complimented him. The layer of pink on Fundy's face only became brighter. 

"Thanks," Fundy smiles with his teeth, his canines were sharp just like a fox. Funny. "Have you ever watched Treasure Planet?" 

Dream shook his head, he hadn't even heard about it. 

"We should watch it sometime," Fundy smiled, eyes closed, like an anime protagonist with the sunniest and brightest features. 

Dream simply nodded warmly. He's not a big movie watcher, doesn't watch too many tv shows and can't get into anime, but when he's with George and Sapnap he can easily binge watch the harry potter movies. He's done it twice with them now. 

Dream's eyes lingered to George, leaning on the wall watching Quackity call Fundy a furry. The usual fringe that falls over his forehead is being held back by the clout goggles he brought last minute, he no longer has to constantly push back his hair. His eyes now had the full spotlight to glisten, they miraculously illuminated in the shitty and dim fluorescent light that gave more of a piss yellow tint than ghostly white.

George looked up. 

His eyes met with Dream's eyes. 

The clouds that Dream wanted to remain in a constant state of sleep descended to Floor 2 of Building Jeb, a hazy curtain hid everything from Dream's peripheral view excluding George and his eyes the color of oak trees that rooted Dream and entangled him in his vines. George's eyes, as deep as a mythical forest- bark dark and leaves vibrant- seducing Dream like a glistening siren with a song like honey that glows gold and is sweeter than berries. Gradually slipping into a beehive, relishing every ounce of the lovely embrace of the sticky sugary substance. 

The tunnel vision was saturated with warm hues of purple and pink, an indoor sunset. Particles of light floated around George like he was their owner and them the servants. 

A sudden push cleared the mist, Dream blinked rapidly, the chaos of a homemade halloween party became transparent and the noise was twice as louder.

"Oh sorry Dream," Quackity apologized, Karl and Sapnap laughing from somewhere around him. "Didn't mean to do that." 

"It's fine," Dream said, making his way to George, who's 5 steps away. "What's wrong? Want a pick-me-up kiss?"

The energy that George previously lost regained at the shitty joke Dream said. George hadn't mentioned the prolonged eye contact and Dream wouldn't bring up that there was something deep down where Dream wouldn't dare to venture that only pulled him closer to George. 

"I don't want your gross kisses," George turned his body slightly to face Dream, "And I am starving. I didn't eat lunch." 

"This is why you're half dead all the time," Dream joked. Lunch had been 6 hours ago. "I think I heard Wilbur mention caramel apples."

At the sound of caramel apples, George's face scrunched up in disgust, "Blegh. That's gross." 

"Gross? What?" Dream's voice was full of shock. Gross? Caramel Apples? "You british people have no taste buds."

"And you Americans have one too many." A banter between the two formed, throwing insults of their countries of origin at each other as if it was a game of tennis. 

"Ok ok, I get it. You lose colonies and become bitter, but it isn't World War One anymore Georgie. Let's go find you food," Dream began to take steps towards the dorm room, knowing there was food there. 

"You stupid Americans," George mumbled which only made Dream laugh. He turned around to throw one last insult when Fundy and him made eye contact.

Something changed in Fundy's eyes. They weren't the warmth of a bonfire in the cold night, but instead the fire had been put out, he looked as if he learned bad news. 

Dream wanted to ask him what he knew, what happened in the short time when Dream wasn't talking to him, but George walked in front of him and Dream easily followed. 

The caramel apples were a myth, a lie that broke Dream's heart into a bazillion pieces. He thought that maybe, just *maybe*, Technoblade, his fellow american ally, would provide with the delicious gooeyness of caramel apples, but alas- Technoblade was nowhere to be found and neither the caramel apples. 

Dream and George _did_ find caramel popcorn, which is close enough to caramel apples, cheese pizza decorated with pepperonis that made a shitty smiley face, and bags of candy that are now half empty. After finding the food, they sat across the door of Tommy's room. George had finished his pizza a while ago, and their bag of shared popcorn was quickly running out. 

"Do you remember when we beat Bad and Callahan at basketball?" George asked out of the blue. 

At the memory, Dream began to laugh uncontrollably.

"Jeez that was a while ago." Badboyhalo, Bad for short, and Callahan boasted about being gods at basketball and lost an embarrassing 52-15. He remembers George announcing every little move like a sports anchor, even if the tiniest mistep George would speak about it. 

_"And Dream moves left, and he trips on his own feet like a dumb loser. He goes fowards, he goes backwards, he's making me dizzy. His arms are raising getting ready to score and- GOAL! One point to the Dreamnotfound team!"_

It was terribly funny to Dream at the time, and it stills makes his stomach and back hurt from just how ridiculous George is. 

George smiled, titling his head back, "After you left, Bad said we are two peas in a pod, we complete each other." 

Silence hung between them. There was an awkward tension, as if both of them held something back, too afraid to dip into the honey because if they got stuck, the bees would sting. 

Many of their friends like to point out that George and Dream are like an eldery couple, always relishing their moments together like its their last, and their arguements are brief and end rather quickly. They push and pull at each other keeping an even balance. 

"Well, yeah, our stars are compatible," Dream sarcastically responded. George didn't say anything back, all he did was munch on popcorn and keep his gaze on the ceiling. His glasses covered his eyes and the bulbs on the ceiling gave very little light so Dream can't read what George is thinking, what George is holding back. 

George leaned against Dream, head on his shoulder, and suddenly Dream felt every single thing that he was in contact with. He felt the music in his heart, the cold wooden floor that held his outstretched legs. He felt the stickiness of the popcorn and his hair tickling his ears. Dream could feel George's soft breathing through his jumper, making the costume's jacket rise and fall. 

"Do you think I have a chance?"

Throughout junior high, George was the funniest to tease and bully because his ears and cheeks became red the quickest. He would stutter for the right words and if he couldn't tease back, he'd roll his eyes and call the other person a dumbass. 

Now, it's Dream with the red ears, neck, and face. Dream who became a blubbering idiot whenever George said or did anything remotely romantic towards him. Dream whose heart was constantly being contested whenever George laughed or smiled at him. 

Now George leaned his head on Dream's shoulder and asked that they could be _more_ than friends.

The saliva caught on Dream's throat and all he could do was lay his hand near George's hand, fingers so close to touching. Maybe then, George could get what Dream is trying to say because he's too busy choking on his heart in his throat. 

Dream couldn't breathe, too much was going on. The noise became ear busting, the beat of the music only bumped his heart rate up, and the wooden floor ached. The slight touch of George's fingers was enough to give Dream a third degree burn that hurt like touching ice cold snow with bare hands, burned like boiling water accidentally dropping on skin, burned like a smack to his face, and yet Dream wanted to bathe himself in the chills of the heat. 

"Do-" Dream opened his mouth but had no clue what to say. "Tell me what you mean." 

It's torture. George is torturing him. He's playing with Dream's fingers and his heart. George knows he has power over Dream, he has to know, because not even Dream knows how much George can do to him. 

George told him he wouldn't date a friend, directly said he wouldn't date _Dream_ , and it threw Dream unbalanced. The feeling in his gut that he ignored ever since 6th grade grew larger and violent. It made his heart want to go to the clouds and his body be buried in the earth and under the sea. It made Philza warn him about his skills during practice. It made him not be able to sleep at night wondering why there was such a constant fuss in his heart and mind over what George said. 

And now George says this? 

He asks if he has a chance?

Fuck. 

Dream doesn't want to be in those damn clouds anymore, he wants _this_ , the heat in the middle of fall, the silence in midst of chaos, and those clouds to only ever part for George. Even if it hurts, if it burns him and leaves a mark, he'd rather George set his heart aflame than allow George to share an ounce of this electricity with Quackity. 

George opened his mouth, "Dream-"

"George! Look what I won!" Quackity came running towards them. 

Of course it was Quackity, and of course George put his hands back on his lap, his head off Dream's shoulders. 

The energy lingered, the buzzing in Dream's fingers stayed. His hands were shaking and his fingers vibrated intensely and Dream couldn't fucking breathe.

Dream couldn't read George's eyes, still covered by those damn glasses, he couldn't tell what George was thinking, all Dream knew was he didn't want to see the way that George would laugh at every single damn fucking thing that Quackity uttered. He didn't want his hopes to be raised just to find out that the question wasn't meant for him. 

Quackity began to talk about his stupid duck plushie that he won against Badboyhalo. 

"I have to go," Dream said standing up. He threw the popcorn bag into George's lap.

A tug on his hogwarts sleeve stopped Dream from making his exit.

"Where are you going?" George said in the tiniest voice he could. 

"Getting a soda. Want one?" 

George nodded. 

Dream left, hearing Quackity ask for one behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will definitely come out soon, this chapter was written out of the blue because I decided last minute to include a halloween part in here \\*v*/  
> If my writing is crappy, im sorry ovo  
> Have a good day and comments/critiques are always well recieved ;3c  
> <<33


	4. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lack of sodas and Technoblade rambles saved Dream from losing his sanity and reason any further.   
> Dialogue of Sapnap and Fundy restore his health a bit.

The coca colas were gone and that gave Dream the perfect excuse to not return so quickly. He knew he could say he was looking for something to drink, anything, for 30 minutes but in reality he drank Caprisuns while calming his intense heart rate. 

The drinks weren't in Tommy's room, instead in the room next to his, Tubbo and Fundy's room. Inside was Technoblade in a vampire outfit casually laying on Tubbo's bed, his body took up the whole bed and his legs hung over the bed frame. Besides his legs sat a kid, a sophmore perhaps, against the bed. His eyes didn't match colors and he wore a button up with three black circles on the left side.

"If you're looking for drinks they're on the desk," Technoblade informed him as Dream walked in. If Technoblade knew Dream needed a drink because of his heavy breathing and frazzled behavior or because of the amount of people coming in and out of the room, he still saved Dream's life. 

Dream took his seat on Fundy's bed, too busy trying to focus on the cold liquid going down his throat to enjoy the decorations in the room. 

He felt the chill of the caprisun cool the burn in his hands. The fragile straw served as an outlet to his frustration, the grind of his teeth destroyed the frigid upright stance the plastic tube once held. 

"Dream, are you gonna stay here?" Technoblade asked, receiving a nervous nod in response. Dream felt the walls collapsing behind him, his friends' memorable faces vanishing, and his brain keeps repeating to him he's alone, he's isolated, stranded on a bed in a country where no one he knew lived. 

Dream wants an explanation from any merciful deity to whisper the answers to him as to why his heart fights against his ribs whenever George gazes into his eyes and creates rainbows and stars in Dream's belly. Until then Dream continues to ignore the jaw clenching emotions he bears towards Quackity whenever George dares to send his smile to the former. 

Technoblade continues, "Ah ok. Well this is Ranboo, he's in Tubbo's grade and got transferred to this building this September. He used to room with some other nerd but because of his situation he sleeps alone on the fourth floor. Lonely little kid." 

In the past, there was times when Technoblade freezes. His eyes cloud and something- _someone_ else takes his place, the grip of his lacrosse stick tightens mid game to the point of cracking it in half, Dream is by his side trying to lure Technoblade to his body. Philza specializes in silencing the mental natural disasters Technoblade is constantly going through, but Dream does his best to help in dire needs. Now, even though they aren't in a game, Dream knows that Technoblade's ramblings are to squash the unrealistic negative whims and replace them with real life which is in Tubbo's dorm in Fundy's bed in L'Manberg Private Academy. 

"My name is actually-" The kid spoke up but Technoblade stopped him midway.

"Ranboo, I have given you a name as is tradition in this school. Your name is Ranboo, appreciate my labour," Technoblade said. His tone wasn't one of a scolding teacher but instead it's one of an older brother. 

That's another thing about L'Manberg; it's an unofficial tradition to rebrand oneself through the act of being crowned with a nickname gifted by a friend at the beginning of freshman year, although it wasn't uncommon to be given one earlier or later than year 9. A few students weren't given new names out of their own will or their birth name met the unspoken criteria of 'coolness', those students tend to be popular _because_ of their outlier position. 

A week into school, George referred to his best friend as 'Dream'. 

The history of the name originates in the week that Dream couldn't sleep, plagiarized by his confusing feelings that kept him up late at night, dreaming that for once in his life he can just _accept_ himself for who he is. 

" _You probably wish for sleep every night like me,_ " George teased, " _Just a smidgen of a_ _dream_ _."_

There the name was born, a way to tease Dream about his lack of dreams.

Another memorable, yet untold, part is two nights after George called him Dream- after he found out why every night was restless. He remembers George, the type of person to cringe at any type of affection- specifically physical affection, bringing Dream into a tight and comforting hug while the insomniac boy pulled out every sword that was stabbed into his mind and heart at a young age, bandaging every scar, and washing away the stupid lies that he was told. 

George held Dream in his arms, allowing his shoulder to be soggy and wet and full of tears and snot, allowing himself to let his friend of 3 years crumble in his hold. 

They hadn't talked about it since it happened, but Dream knew that the nickname bothered George who viewed the name 'Dream', not as an ironic funny name to bestow a friend, but instead a name that mocked and cursed his friend. 

" _I like the name,_ " Dream told him before they slept through the rainy night. " _It's even better since_ _you_ _named me._ " In response, George had rolled his eyes and the topic was never brought up again. 

On the other hand, for the first semester of 9th grade, George specialized in sleeping, being lost, or simply not showing up to classes, events, or just hanging out with friends. Their friends never dropped the joke that was 404- not found, like the phrase that shows up in abandoned websites- and 404 snowballed into Georgenotfound, his nickname.

Dream was the first person to call him that, not for the reasons that spread about, but because of the blank look on George's face whenever they were alone and Dream flirted with him, as a joke of course. 

George, hearing the nickname leave Dream's mouth, stuck his tongue out, replicating what Dream did when George called _him_ Dream for the first time. 

"-boo did sword fighting but tried out for lacrosse this year," Technoblade's voice tuned in just in time to know the topic of discussion. 

Ranboo sat like he didn't know where his long arms and legs should go. His height is only accentuated by his thinness and how dorky he presents himself.

"You remind me of 8th grade Techno," Dream's voice is breathy, like a mouse who ran away from a nearby cat and is making as little noise as possible, but it still is loud enough to be heard by the people in front of him. "All awkward and lanky." 

Ranboo gave a laugh that was scared of being kicked out if it was any louder.

A groan left Technoblade.

"Dude, my reputation of being scary and cool just diminished to zero because of that." 

Dream smiled tight. His eyes lowered to find Ranboo's multi-colored eyes. 

Although Ranboo has a different shade in each eye, vibrant pop art hues, his eyes couldn't duplicate the romanticism era of paintings in George's eyes. 

The sophomore brought his knees up and against his chest, making himself to be as tiny as possible in the already small room. 

"I don't bite," Dream joked.

"It's just- Well, the top two athletes in our nation are in the same room as me. I should already be dead from the anxiety," Ranboo eased his nerves with a joke but his movement showed that he _is_ actually surprised he hasn't fainted yet. 

Dream took a deep breath, the unsteady heartbeat settled and his previously shaky hands are still. Leaning against the wall, he says, "Someone will eventually take our places."

"Speak for yourself nerd," Technoblade voices, sipping on his juice box. 

The "party" ended the moment Dream stepped out Tubbo's room. In front of him was a mess of teenagers scrambling to their rooms because of the 8:30 pm curfew, 9 pm for people in the same building. Too many students cramped up in a hall for Dream to even try to find George's 5'8 self or Sapnap whose hair blended in. 

He decided to go back to the dorm room disappointed for a handful of conflicting reasons. 

Was what George said a way to pull Dream in close enough to brush noses and hear the soft breathing or was it a way to push himself off of Dream into Quackity's reaching arms? The unknowing undertones poked and prodded at every crevice and layer in Dream's mind and yet, he yearned for the adrenaline boost again.

No last minute goal or half game turn around could produce the amount of dopamine and energy created by the tender touch of George's finger against his hand. 

_Jesus Christ._

Did the tiniest affection with underlying romantic love from his best friend _really_ cause the sudden flare of body heat and the severe throbbing in Dream's chest?

George is the cause for everything Dream has done. The motivation to win every game for his friend as well as the reason his mind is foggy, and his legs can't cooperate to make a goal. Dream got his nickname from the same man that plagued all his dreams. George can glue together the broken shards that Dream himself has shattered and yet he also unravels Dream's need for control with a swift touch. 

Was Dream _that_ lustful for a lover to the point where he fell in love with his best friend or did he turn a blind eye to the rising bubbles in his rib cage until now? 

He wants to return. 

He wants to return to sophomore year, a year where Dream would jokingly flirt with George and turn a blind eye to the fluttering in his heart. 

Dream hates dealing with problems. He tries to resolve everything as quick as possible, especially when it comes to George and Sapnap, but because he continued that damn burning sensation in the middle of his torso to grow, Dream has to go on a quest. A quest that involves swimming to the ocean ground, making his way through a pitch dark underwater cave, journey through a ravine that hides a magically locked chest he has to pry open to find the scribbled reason of why Dream feels such a way towards his best friend. 

But he won't. 

He can't. 

He has a date with Fundy on Saturday.

“You’re going on a date with a  _ freshman _ ?” Sapnap fell unto Dream’s bed. 

Sapnap, Dream, and a few of their other friends decided to spend their day off by playing football outside. It was Sapnap’s team versus Sam’s team and they ended in a draw. When it came to playing casual games with friends, Dream frequently went “easy” mode, not putting in all his effort, but today he was trying and  _ failing _ _.  _

Because of that damn question George had asked him two days prior, he had two left feet on the field. It snuck into his mind before Dream could get a wink of sleep, leaving him restless and now it wedged itself into Dream's head before he could score and cause him to lose embarrassingly. 

Maybe a deity did have mercy on him because nobody mentioned the terrible game that he played. 

George was sitting on the bench, like usual, keeping the score and being the best referee he could be from afar. They hadn't talked since Friday, the Halloween party. 

Dream's not sure if he's ok with that or not. 

Nonetheless, at times, when Dream didn't fumble the ball and scored, he’d look over to where George sat and already saw George looking at him. 

Moments like that gave Dream a warm feeling, as if the sun had taken a residence in his chest. Like his heart decided to open up and take in all the good vibes that George’s smile radiated. 

Despite the trouble George has indirectly given him, Dream would gladly live his life in total darkness just for a day of George's light. 

When the match ended, George didn't return to Dream’s dorm with Sapnap and him because he had to do  _ something _ with Quackity. 

Dream thought that was total actual B.S, and the fact that George didn’t tell Dream or Sapnap diminished any past “good vibes” he had in his dumb heart from the game. 

“Fundy is a sophomore,” Dream corrected him while fixing his look. In an hour and a half, Dream would go to a coffee place with Fundy and afterwards they’d sit and talk in a small park. 

The date was Fundy’s idea, Dream added in the coffee store. 

A small date, not too big or large since they were just going to get to know each other. 

“A sophomore who skipped a year. He’s like 14!” 

“15. He’s 15.”

“You’re like 20 years older.”

Dream rolled his eyes, “I’m literally older than him by less than a year. It’s not weird.” 

He didn’t mind Sapnap calling him out for going on a date with someone younger. It eased his mind that if, not that Dream ever would but  _ if _ , he lost his mind and decided to go out of his way to catch a case, Sapnap would immediately be on his case about it. He also rather hear Sapnap go on and on about age, although Dream really is just one year old, than the most obvious fact that they are both guys. 

Dream never officially came out, besides the breakdown he had in 9th grade in George's arms, he only ever mentioned it once to Sapnap in a quiet mumble and never spoke of it again. 

“It’s still odd,” Sapnap pointed out. “What did George say about it?”

Dream stopped fixing his hair for the billionth time. He stared at himself in the mirror he had in his room that Sapnap gave to him as a joke gift a few months back, an uneasy silence passed between them. 

“You haven’t told Gogy?” Sapnap grinned in amazement. “Did the two lovebirds get in a fight or something? What universe am I  _ in _ ?” 

Dream threw a pillow at Sapnap, “You are so dumb.” He swiftly put on the windbreaker. “I just haven’t told him.” 

Sapnap sat upright, “You tell him everything dude.” 

“Well not this time. He’s fine, he’s probably with Quackity either way,” Dream tried to say as casually as possible but there was a slight bitterness in his voice that’s hard to miss. 

Dream knows it’s hypocritical for him to get bothered by the fact that George didn’t inform him about his whereabouts with Quackity, when Dream didn’t tell George about his  _ date _ …

But it was different. 

Somehow… it was different. 

“You sound jealous,” Sapnap laughed. “Is wittle Dweam Jeawous? Aww.” Sapnap poured his bottom lip mocking Dream. 

“Doesn’t Karl have to doodle hearts on your hand?”

“You’re an actual idiot,” Sapnap threw back the pillow at Dream’s head, fucking up his hair, Dream still laughed it off. 

“I have to go now Snipsnap,” Dream opened the door, “I suggest you leave before Technoblade comes in.”

With that Sapnap quickly ran out the room with Dream. 

Dream had ordered one cup of coffee and one cup of tea, for himself and for Fundy (who was late). That didn’t matter though, Dream liked some alone time before dates. 

Not that he has  _ gone _ on many dates, but on the rare chances when he does, he arrives before his partner. It gives him time to settle and get comfortable, and he just has a personal like for being early. All of his dates have been with girls and he wonders if it’s any different than a date with a guy. 

He doubts it though. 

The coffee foam in the cup created an accidental smiley face. He slightly moved the cup back and forth, to cool it down, then took another sip. 

He wondered what Fundy saw in him. Does Fundy only like Dream because of his popularity, because of his looks, or because of the good things he’s heard of Dream? 

He knows it’s most likely a mixture of all three, but Dream hopes it’s not too heavily reliant on his looks or his title. 

He’s had one too many dates where the girls just liked him because he looked good, he was popular, or both. Not actually because of his personality. 

Maybe that’s why he kept to his close friends nowadays, afraid of a situation repeating. 

Maybe that's why he felt like he had a crush on George, because he knew what George liked. 

He also wondered what Fundy saw on halloween that shattered the stars in his eyes. 

“Hey,” Fundy waves over to Dream. “Sorry I kept you waiting. Tubbo was talking to me about some science thing.” 

Fundy sat down, taking a sip of his chamomile tea before Dream could look at his outfit any longer than a quick glance. 

“No need to worry, how are you?” 

“Ah- like usual, fine but could do better. Thanks for coming by the way! It’s- great, you’re great.” 

Dream smiled. “You’re great too.” 

Fundy wrapped his hands around the tea cup and brought the warmth of the steam closer to his face. 

It's chillier now, as expected. 

The sky still has that large blue hue with clouds that lay on top of each other more like messy blankets thrown about than the puffy white clouds in Mario games. The trees are bare, wiped clean of any greens, oranges, reds, and yellows. Except the evergreen trees of course. In a few weeks, snow would protect the green grass and the naked branches. 

It's not too cold, that's saying something from a man who lives in the south of the United States. In Florida, the weather is either hot and humid or hot and dry. He's lived there his whole life and still isn't used to it. But the temperature was dropping lower and lower every month yet Dream still wore a sweater and a scarf at most unlike Fundy who wore a scar, gloves, and a beanie covering his ears but his bangs still fell on his face. 

Fundy's orange hair has different layers all cut in different directions. It looked as if he grabbed a pair of scissors and chopped off his previously long hair one day but kept cutting trying to style the new haircut but gave up halfway. 

Dream still liked it.

"I like your hair," Dream complimented the boy in front of him. The splash of pink on Fundy's cheeks didn't become as bright like it was on Friday. It was faded and small, hiding under Fundy's scarf. 

"Thanks. I cut it in freshman year," He pushed the loose strands behind his ears. "I didn't know you were-"

"Bisexual?"

Fundy wiggled in his seat, a light laugh from his belly escaping his lips, "I was gonna say I didn't know you were Sam's friend but that works too." 

"Oh." Dream felt his face heat up. He gets ahead of himself sometimes. 

Like previously mentioned, he never really "came out". There haven't been too many men he has had a romantic interest in, and the ones that he did like, the small crush ends in 5 days maximum. 

Tommy asking him to go out with Fundy on a date was Tommy throwing a ball blindly in the dark and Dream catching it with ease. 

The only people who know about his sexuality is George and Sapnap, not because he's ashamed of himself tries to hide it, but he finds no use in telling people about his personal life if he has no boyfriend to show off.

It's sorta like telling people he has a crush on a girl. Dream doesn't know if the crush will last for a few days, months, or years, so he ends up keeping it to himself and possibly mentioning once or twice to his best friends. 

Although recently he feels like shouting out on the rooftops:

_ "I'm Gay!!! I'm Bisexual! So what?!" _

To be conscious of the useless want of waving a bisexul flag proudly creates a ball of cringe in the pit of his belly that he desperately needs to stab and kill for once and for a ball. 

A boiling ball that has lessened overtime but comes back whenever he tries to be open about his sexuality.

Fundy's giggle reeled him into reality, "I didn't know L'Manberg is so, mm, open."

Dream leaned back into his seat, pondering Fundy's statement. 

A private academy for only boys was bound to have at least  _ one _ gay guy. Well, that's what Dream thinks. L'manberg isn't an exception from this idea Dream has. 

Recently, there's been more students coming out and being proud of their sexualities. 

"Everything changed for the better in 7th grade. Antfrost and Redvelvet began to openly date and everyone who mattered took it well. Since then, more people feel safe to come out," Dream briefly explained while Fundy scratched his jaw in thought. 

"I wasn't gonna come to L'manberg," Fundy began. "I haven't had too many good experiences with… boys. Wilbur assured me this time it would be different, better." Fundy's face fell, his attitude became somber, retelling a moment in his life where the skies were constant gray and grass a permanent washed out green. The hand that was previously itching the scratch of Fundy's chin rested on the table, and his eyes darted to stare at the landscape outside the window. 

Dream laid his hand on top of the other boy's hand, a way to tell him that if he doesn't wanna continue, it'll be ok, but if he does, then he won't be judged. 

Fundy took a deep breath and continued, "Wilbur… he's like the father I never had. Sorry, I didn't mean to get sappy." 

"It's alright Fundy. I completely understand," Dream smiled."Coming out is fucking  _ difficult _ , but acceptance from onself is damn painful as well."

" _ Honestly _ ," Fundy agreed. "It was easier to come to terms that I'm a boy than the fact that I'm gay." 

"I can only relate to half of that statement," Dream grinned and another laugh came from Fundy. 

The heavy atmosphere from the upsetting stories of the past rose, and once again the sun shone through the window to create shadows of the two boys on the wooden floors of the Cafe. 

Fundy finished laughing, a smile in his face, looking at the half finished cup of tea. 

The scene in his eyes of shimmering pink flower petals descending from the skies from some anime scene trailed away and what was left was a coming of age film with an empty parking lot, tall poles and store names the only source of light, and an open gasoline station that runs until one am. 

A knowing look; one that's neither sad nor happy but acknowledgment of what's next in life. 

A rest stop before floods and storms. 

Fundy looked back up with a toothy smile and tired eyes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna start to work tmrw so I get less time but it's only for a month or so :]   
> I will still try to write doe *v* writing is very fun and the feedback is great ::DD   
> Thank you for reading, I hope yall loved it :3   
> Critique and comments are always appreciated ^W^ <<33  
> Tumblr: SaturnGhostmother  
> Twitter:saturnghost_pdf


	5. Suprise! More burns !

Because of his title and his rank in sports, Dream has had many rumours surrounding him since he can remember. 

He remembers the first time he heard of a rumour created about him, something along the lines that he cheated in a football game.

It happened sometime back in 7th grade, back when he wasn’t even seen in Technoblade’s Shadow, and was constantly overlooked in any leaderboards. Just because he placed 15th place in his tri-state area’s football team, rumors of him cheating would constantly be thrown around. 

George and Sapnap told him to ignore it, but being accused of cheating is something Dream wouldn’t, and still won’t, tolerate. Luckily, the rumour quickly died down after he disproved it with ease 

Since then, there’s never been a time where Dream didn’t hear at least one lie created about him. 

The latest one being that he turned down Fundy because he’s afraid of his own sexuality. 

In all honesty, he’s glad it’s something as absurd as that and not because he’s homophobic or transphobic. He wouldn’t even know how to even _start_ to address those heavy topics. 

Throughout the date, whenever Dream mentioned George, Fundy would have a suspicious look in his eyes. That he knows something that Dream doesn't know, but then again, it may just be Dream being paranoid about George's question. 

To the surprise of Dream, Fundy had met Sam during Sam's practice and not through a science class. They had bonded over chemistry, engineering, and other nerdy subjects Dream forgot about. Because of Sam, Fundy had gathered enough courage to set his experiment in the science fair and so he came in first place. Fundy heard a more boring story of how Dream met Tommy and Wilbur before he met Technoblade. 

As time passed, they sat at the park bench, watching the sun go down, enjoying one another’s presence. 

Dream knew most, if not all, of the school knew about his date. 

Dream knew George knew. 

George hadn’t asked him about it yet but Dream could just _sense_ George itching the nerves that begged to ask about the date. 

They haven't talked since Halloween and a week and a half has passed since then. Whenever Dream _did_ reach out first, George was already talking to Quackity. 

Of course he was talking to Quackity. 

It was almost as if he and Quackity were dating. 

Dream huffed. 

George asked Dream that damn question and left him alone for almost 2 weeks now to hang out with some _dude_ who couldn't even compare. 

Quackity wasn’t even in George’s league.

He could never be. 

Sure they had stuff in common, a _shitton_ of stuff in common, but they were also… _different_. 

George was soft, gentle, loud when he wanted to and Quackity is loud. 

He speaks too hard, laughs too sharp, and Dream could just tell that Quackity forces himself to make George laugh. 

George plays Minecraft all day, he swears like a sailor, and he always has a quick remark back. 

And Quackity… Quackity also did all that.

“Careful there, you might break the bag again,” Philza called out from the sidelines. 

Dream let out a soft laugh. 

At 3 in the morning, Dream's brain woke him up and would refuse to let him close his eyes without thinking of George and what Fundy said at the end of their date before they split their ways. 

Technoblade was also surprised when Dream woke _him_ up at their usual time, and was even more surprised when Dream decided to spend his full morning boxing, for the second day in a row. 

Usually, Dream would wake up late and leave early, most mornings he would meet up with George- but these past few days have been different. 

He knew Quackity would be at breakfast. 

He knew he would see George laugh at what Quackity said as if it was the funniest fucking thing ever told in the god damn motherfucking universe. 

He knew he wouldn’t be able to stand it. 

He knew that once lunch comes, he’d do his best to not stare at George like he owns George. 

Until then, Dream threw another punch at the punching bag with the purpose of breaking the damn thing. 

Dream isn’t an idiot.

He’s one of the best athletes in his goddamn area for a reason. 

The numerous times he has been accused of cheating simply because his clever thinking turned the tide of the game should be on the Book of World Records. 

Technoblade, _fucking Technoblade_ , complimented his skill _before_ they became friends which is an incredible achievement when:

  1. Technoblade doesn’t ever give out compliments, _especially_ when it comes to sports. 
  2. Compliments to a **_stranger_**? That's more rare than finding out he’s Wilbur’s twin. 



One of the reasons Dream is the best fucking team player is because nothing goes by without Dream noticing it. 

He notices that Karl only ever doodles hearts on Sapnap’s hand. He notices the slight blush on Sapnap when he looks at his hand and sees Karl’s artistry. 

He noticed Fundy always turning a slight pink when they were near each other, hence why he even agreed to the date. If Dream didn’t know of Fundy, regardless if he’s Tommy’s cousin or not, he would’ve straight up declined the date, but because he has noticed Fundy, he agreed to it. 

He notices the way Techno always looks to Philza when he’s lost or doesn’t know what to do, he looks at him the way a son looks to their father. 

He notices the way that whenever Tommy mentions Carrots, Wilbur does the same expression that Tommy does whenever Wilbur mentions Blue. 

And now, Dream notices Quackity always looking at Dream after George laughs at his joke, which almost always _isn’t_ funny. Almost _taunting_ Dream- as if Dream is a pig, George the carrot, and Quackity hanging it over his head knowing that Dream will forever chase it and never get his reward. 

They aren’t dating, Dream knows that. 

He knows that George can laugh at anybodies joke, George can _kiss_ anyone and fuck whoever, but that doesn’t stop the jealousy in Dream’s stomach to snap, crackle, and pop. 

The clouds that Dream once wished he could stay in for an eternity, to leave this damned place called Earth, now yell thunder and shout lightning. The coziness that they once provided, like snuggling under blankets in the middle of winter became the wicked snow storm going on inside Dream.

Now he wants to go back to the playing field he was in a month ago, looking up at the sky, and wants the only turmoil to be one of melancholy dreams. Not this new dream of wanting to punch his best friend’s _friend_ in his face so badly. 

George leans closer to Quackity over the table, lifting himself slightly to sit on top of the leg beneath him. As Karl goes on and on about something funny that happened in his math class, Quackity and George keep sneaking glances at each other and giggling when they catch each other. 

It's starting to fucking piss Dream off.

What is so damn fucking hilarious that catches George in a fit of giggles every goddam time? What an inside joke could cause such a shitty joke? 

At this time, Karl's rambling didn't enter Dream's ear anymore, too focused on whatever the fuck George and Quackity are doing. His eyes dug into George's side profile as he picked up his lunch food and took a bite into it, a smidgen of mustard leaving a trail on the cheek facing Dream. 

“Geo-“

Before Quackity finished, Dream roughly grabbed George’s chin to face him. Dream didn’t break eye contact as he wet his thumb with his own saliva, wiping away the mustard on George’s face with his thumb. 

The first swipe was slow, steady, he knew Quackity was watching, the second swipe was to _actually_ get rid of the mustard, and the last swipe was for extra measure. 

“There, all better,” Dream smiled. 

George didn’t move his position, his eyes still large and his pretty lips were still in a cute small pout. 

“What did I just **_witness_ **?!” Quackity began to laugh, holding on to the table before he fell backwards and off his seat. 

“Dream,” George said in a hush tone once he regained his composure again. “Just give me a napkin next time.” His hands grabbed a napkin wiping at the area that Dream just touched. 

“Well,” Dream started, he placed his arm over George’s shoulder, bringing George closer to him, “Just wanna make sure you’re clean.” 

“You’re like a mom Dream,” Sapnap commented. 

No- that’s _not_ what he wanted. He wanted George to see Dream as if he was _Dream’s, to_ make sure that Quackity knows that it’s George and Dream- not George and Quackity. 

Karl giggled manically, “Yeah ! He’s a nurturing mommy.” 

“Hardly ‘ _nurturing’_ , it hurt more than it helped,” George mumbled, rubbing at his chin where Dream grabbed a bit too hard. 

Dream brought George in closer, his best friend’s shoulder tucked into Dream’s side. Dream replacing George’s hand that nursed his chin with Dream’s own hand, rubbing it softly. 

“Sorry. I forget how much strength I actually have,” Dream apologized. “You’re not that hurt are you?”

George shook his head. 

“Good.”

“Nevermind, he’s more like George’s Daddy,” Sapnap jokes. 

Quackity laughed even harder, small tears forming in his eyes. “Daddy Dream!” He said in between laughter resulting in Sapnap and Karl also bursting out in a fit of laughs. 

George let out a small chuckle.

“You find that funny?” Dream asked, quietly, just for George. 

“Quackity is actually funnier than you.”

“Oh really?”

George smirked, he nodded his head. 

“Well maybe,” Dream said in a hush town, Karl, Sapnap, and Quackity now laughing amongst themselves. Dream didn’t know where he found this new confidence, the bravery to wrap his arm around George, to bring him closer so their eye contact couldn’t break and, if they were behind close doors and Dream had enough confidence, he could finally explore all those feelings he was refusing to acknowledge. But he won’t, not yet, instead he’ll just laugh off the position that he finds himself in with George, “Maybe, I should remind you by taking you to my room-"

“Into your bed?”

This time it was Dream’s turn to be surprised. He blinked rapidly, his voice stuttered for any words but unfortunately all his brain could focus on was the insane beat of his heart. 

It didn't burn or heat up like on Halloween, but it was lukewarm. Lessons of chemistry class entered Dream's head to tell him that the contact the both of them held rose in both energy and temperature, faster than water at its boiling degree. 

“Yknow,” George continued, “so we can play games like we used to?”

“Oh, yeah. Yeah, yes,” Dream brought his friend closer to him. 

The boiling water stopped, slowed down, scarred with the memory of what occured last time George got too close. 

It burned him. 

But Dream's sadistic ways want to tell George something, _anything_ , about the small hot enclosure Dream is trapped in whenever George looks at him. 

He wants the arm over George’s shoulder to somehow communicate that all Dream wanted was for George to be his. 

His to hold under his arms whenever he wanted to, his to hold their hands over the lunch table, his to look at in joy whenever he scored a goal, his to pick up and swirl because their team won, his to bring into his room and hide under his blankets, his to be with. 

Dream just wanted to understand his mind, his mind that wouldn’t let him sleep or eat without thinking about what George asked and what Fundy said at the end of the date. 

“Can you let me go?”

“Yeah, yeah of course.” 

Dream likes George and Sapnap's dormroom more than he likes his own dorm room that he shares with Technoblade. Because Dream spends 90% of the time in George's room, Technoblade teases Dream by referring to him as homeless. 

George's room has most of the useless shit that Dream and George bought together last year, like a gamecube keychain and a tiny pink quartz elephant that was bought on a whim. George also has the minecraft grass block that Dream made in wood working last year, he made it especially for George. The painting portion of the project was a bitch, but it came out pretty sick. The top of the square can pop off, so the block serves as a small storage unit asw3ell. 

Not only is George's room cooler, it's just more comfortable to Dream- homier. 

He falls onto George's bed, taking in the permanent warmth of George's blue sheets and the smell of the same fabric softener that George has used since 6th grade. The consistency of George's hard to kill habits keeps Dream grounded, relaxes him during midterms and the end of the lacrosse season, allows him to cuddle up in the idea that George will always be with Dream. 

"You're like a bigger version of a cat," George says from his side, creating slight indentation on the edge of the bed by him sitting on it.

"I'm like a cat boy, George! If I meow, will you love me?"

George chuckles, not looking at Dream as he unlaces his shoes and slips them off his feet, "What makes you think I don't love you now?"

George doesn't stop his actions, he continues untying his laces. 

Love? 

George loves him?

Love as in platonical love right?

As in, oh we are just two pals since childhood, type love?

Platonic or romantic, George never even uses the big ol' L-word in his vocabulary, even to the things he _does_ love. 

Dream has all right to freak out- celebrate a moment where George lets his guard down a smidgen- and not because of the bouncing balls of fire in his body that burns any ounce of shame. 

Or is George turning on a lighter under Dream's skin to see if it stains with smoke and fire? 

"So you _do_ love me so much more than anyone else?" Dream quickly recovers, half joking. He still lays down on the bed, but now his hand is holding up his face and his legs are slightly crossed- in that one pose of "Draw Me Like One Your French Girls" meme but more laid back and relaxed. 

George walks to his rack of shoes and puts them away as Dream's eyes follow. 

Maybe it's Dream's imagination, but he sees a dust of red on the tip of George's ears as the silence stretches more so than usual. 

Yeah, Dream is just hallucinating.

"No," George responds with the worst response ever, still not facing Dream. "Maybe I would if you told me about your date with Fundy."

" _Well_ , I love you even if you don't tell me what Quackity and you have been doing when you leave without telling anyone," Dream talks back, if George has a problem with the Dream going the exact thing George is doing, he'll gladly point it out.

" _Well_ , Quackity and I's relationship isn't like your relationship with Fundy," George sat at his desk, on the foot of the bed, but hasn't faced Dream yet- which pisses Dream off.

" _Well_ , there is still a relationship that you haven't told me anything about for 3 months now, Fundy and I went out on one date a week ago."

George pulls out his notebooks from his backpack, "There's nothing to say about it."

Dream scoffs and rolls his eyes as he lays on the bed again, his hands resting behind his head. He looks up at the glow in the dark stars that George and Dream put up there one year ago, they have been losing their light since George doesn't shine the flashing on them- it used to be Dream's job to do that. 

"Fundy and I aren't dating," Dream says. He knows George wants to know about the date more than the dumb rumours spread around school, he knows George is trying to get more information from Dream- he just does a shit job at asking. Dream doesn't know why George cared so much that they kept going back and forth about it, even if they were just teasing- there was still a tension between each line. "We got coffee, he got a cup of tea, and just talked for a while, about anything, and watched the sun set at the park. I walked him to his dorm and said goodnight." 

Dream waited to see if George would ask for more, to ask Dream if he had ended up rejecting Fundy or not, but George wouldn't tear his pride down to ask either. 

"I told him I wasn't interested." 

Georve stopped writing in that damn notebook of his, "Oh."

"I just," Dream wasn't going to tell George the rest, the rest wasn't for George to know. It was too personal, it still bounced around Dream's stupid little heart too much. "I just don't want to be in a relationship. With him."

The pencil that had once been forgotten, got picked up once more by George. He began to copy notes from one notebook to another, classnotes to studying notes. George always lent the studying notes to Dream, but recently he's been giving the notebook to Quackity. He saw the bright red notebook in Quackity's locker as he was passing by, it was unmistakably George's notebook with stickers all over the front cover. 

Dream tried his best not to care. 

Dream also tries to not care that George won't tell him about his relationship with Quackity, Dream tries to bury that hateful resentment he has towards Quackity under layers of unbreakable stone and tougher diamonds, but he knows that he does a shit job at hiding how he feels.

It leaks between the cracks, shows in his eyes every single time, shines more than the diamond's sparkle. 

It's bound to break.

"But you would like to be in a relationship?" George asked. How someone like George could multitask was incredible. 

"I do." 

George hummed in thought. 

Dream didn't mean to say that. 

Honestly? He _doesn_ 't want to be in a relationship with anyone if it isn't George. He's had too many people date him and the relationship was terrible. 

He felt like he couldn't love again afterwards. 

He didn't _want_ to love again. 

It hurt him more than it healed him. 

But when he looks at his best friend, the boy he's known for most of his life, and wants to try to love again. 

Love better. 

There's that word again.

_Love._

"Sapnap told me you liked someone already."

"What?" Without a doubt, Dream knew face flared up like the spicy red of a chili pepper. His stomach twisted itself into knots of every kind, his feet screamed to run as fast and as far away from this situation as possible, his hands began to twist and pull at the hair behind his head that was scratching and tickling the back of his neck. 

"Wh- I- Uhm-" Stuttering? Is Dream really _stuttering_ right now? 

Dream pleaded to the gods that George didn't ask who, didn't ask any further than he did. And if he did, the left side of his brain was yelling at Dream to deny all possible accusations of him liking anyone in a romantic way, while also stopping mid-yell to list out reasons why he should tell George all the times his knees weakened and his heart leaped throughout his body when Dream saw him, and the right side of Dream's brain suffered a total and complete malfunction. 

And throughout all this, George was _laughing._

"I didn't think your reaction would be _this_ dramatic," George said between laughs. 

"Fuck you," Dream responded lightly, only causing George to laugh more. Dream rubbed his face, as if he was trying to get rid of the blush on his cheeks and the sudden heat his body generated. "Sapnap didn't even say that did he?"

"No," George finished his fit of giggles, "But you do like someone?"

Dream tried to regain his composer, now under George's intense gaze that he didn't have before. 

There's only two terrible options to this question, a yes or a no. 

If he said yes, George may be uncomfortable. 

Dream is putting his longtime _friendship_ on the line. 

Even if George asked that stupid question 2 and a half weeks ago, he hadn't explained it since and it seems like he won't do it either. The question was so _vague_ that the hope that it may have meant: _"Dream! Go out with me!"_ Had been diminished by his own pessimistic ways. He was sadisitic, relished in the pain, but not enough to torture himself by clinging on to the idea that George meant him. 

He couldn't have meant him when all George does is be with Quackity. 

And yet, with so many odds against Dream, he still wishes upon the same North Star that Tiana from Princess and the Frog wished upon. 

Maybe, his wish would work if he finally accepted what Fundy had told him that day. 

If Dream said no, then the slim chance that the question was meant for him, would go down the drain and get lost within the pollution that Dream despised. 

"You just caught me by surprise is all."

"Mhmm," George didn't sound convinced at all. 

"Really!" The malfunction of his brain completely cut all of his convincing skills that he really needs right now, "Anyways, you haven't told me about Quackity." A cheap and terrible way to change the topic from Dream to George, one that won't be talked about because George doesn't share anything, but Dream needed the conversation off him for once.

George continued rewriting class notes, completely ignoring what Dream said. 

Dream let out a groan, "Oh c'mon George, tell me." He made his way over to his best friend, behind George watching as his friend continued to write. "What, do you like him or something?"

George slowed down his writing, in silent thought. 

_Say no, say no, say no_ , ran the line in Dream's mind as he rested his hands on George's shoulders, leaning over him to see what was on the notebook. 

A quiet mumble was heard. 

"What'd you say?" Dream asked, letting himself rest his chin on George's left shoulder, hands falling on George's chest lightly, as Dream leaned forward. 

George turned his head so that their eye line would meet perfectly and their lips were now too close. _So_ close touching.

What was he doing to Dream? 

How does he keep doing this? 

Dream keeps thinking he's in control. He pushes himself into a situation where he could find his way out, and then George appears and the maze has new paths that Dream didn't remember studying and now he's freaking out because he's lost but he's also glad that he can be with George. 

It's all too confusing. 

"I said," he started, "And what if I did?"

Dream's feet began to tap rapidly, the skills of lacrosse telling him to get ready to move from a problem as quickly as possible but be ready for any slight movement or noise.

"You don't," He was trying to convince himself than trying to form a correct response to whatever the fuck George just said. 

Where was George getting his confidence from?

Since mid-September, the George with the funniest reactions to Dream flirting with him was gone, and instead _Dream_ couldn't articulate his thoughts whenever George made eye contact with him. 

"But if I did?" 

"Well you don't."

The natural pink, color of peaches, painted George's lips turned into a pout, "Dream." 

He turned his body so he could look into Dream's eyes without craning his neck. Dream fixed his position so his face wasn't too close to George, now hands lightly gripped the top of the chair and he stood up right. 

"George." Dream was back at Halloween. Same feeling of pain and heat, except the difference was that the heat and pain wasn't enjoyable. 

It was putrid. 

Rotten. 

The burning pierced through his skin and muscles like a branding iron to leave a mark on his withered bones. 

The heat killed him. 

Dehydrated him. 

Evaporated the saliva in his mouth and sucked the water from his body only leaving the salt. 

And the smell from the hotness eliminated the good and bad germs, forced the bacteria to scram, not even the dirtiest cockroaches and rats could sustain it. 

"What would be the problem if I _did_ like Quackity?" 

To be in the meadows of lilacs, peonies and alliums that matched with the rosy pink stained lips George was born with. Dream doesn't want the burns, good or bad. He wants the breeze from a spring day, the wind on top of the hill under the tree he woke up in September. A picnic with the sun setting. 

"You told me you wouldn't date a friend."

George scoffed, "In _September_ , it's mid November. Minds can change." 

Dream tugged on his hair that needed to be cut so desperately, he knew why there would be a problem if Quackity and George got together, but he's not telling George that. 

"George," Dream didn't know what to tell him. A cocktail mix of jealousy, unrequited romantic love, and of platonic love swirled inside him. He couldn't fuck up this friendship. But if he fucked up the friendship, from the cracks the romance could crawl out. "You can do whatever you want. Don't let me stop you." 

Dream stared back at George, the eye contact was sharp and unwanted from both parties, looking into George's eyes felt like voluntarily stepping on glass shards just for validation. 

Dream felt like an idiot once George turned back to his notebook. 

Fuck. 

He wished he was amongst the heavens and the celestial skies, cuddling up on the fluffiest warmest cloud in the atmosphere with no one around to stress him out. 

Yearning for George was nothing but flames on his limbs melting away his skin, his nails bending backwards to fall off of him but Loving George is the want to be buried under the cold damp ground with grass stems adorning droplets of the rain so his skin could feel the earth and her tender creation every second until he could no longer feel the bumpy texture of dirt nor the chilling temperature of the rain.

Dream wishes to be under his bed like Adam and Eve hiding from God, after he shamed himself in front of George yet another time.

Hell rivaled the way that George made Dream feel, for George was right in front of Dream his whole life to be bitten into like the forbidden apple, to be like fresh river water in the middle of a desolate desert, but it was because of Dream's own pride, his fear to be recognized without allowing it, for the emotions that never left his face to be read without his permission, that Dream has been a few seconds too late, centimeters slowly becoming kilometers as time passes, and canyons create between Dream and George. 

The clock that ran both boys had been ticking together, at the same speed and same time zone, for years, now the clocks are together yet run years apart. 

Dream feared that George found someone with the bravery to reach out for George with two hands instead of one, like Dream would. A man who changed his clock to run with George's clock. A man who could bring the stars that stuck themselves on the night sky down just for George, like Dream wanted to do. 

A man who would impress George by gifting him the rainbow, a rainbow that George could adore and cry with love. 

Dream feared that this time he wouldn't be able to clutch last second, he wouldn't be able to coordinate with his mind or his body, and he would lose the one thing he _needs_ most if he continued to have sweaty palms and nervous fingers. 

Dream lifted himself off George's chair, walking over to Sapnap's desk and picking up a sticky note from Karl that Sapnap left on his desk. 

"If you were a burger at McDonald's, you'd be named McGorgeous," Dream read aloud. 

"What?" 

Dream turned around to give George the sticky note, only to see George already looking at him with his full body, making Dream trip on his own feet, catching himself just out of a pure miracle, and handing the sticky note to George. 

George laughed, "Weirdo." 

Dream felt the tension leave the air, he could live with the heart strains and the small gazes full of love if it meant that George and Him would always be together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing George and Dream not falling in love is harder everytime lolol  
> How are yall doing? :] i hope good <3  
> Comments / critiques are always appreciated ^v^  
> Tumblr:saturnghostmother

**Author's Note:**

> Haii thank u for reading :]] criticism is highly encouraged and leave a comment if you enjoyed <<33  
> Tumblr: saturnghostmother


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